SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

agencies

TENNIS

Federer seeded first in Open

Five-time champion and world No. 1 Roger Federer was confirmed on Tuesday as the top men’s seed at the US Open, the last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year that starts on Monday at Flushing Meadows in New York. Defending champion Novak Djokovic is seeded second and world No. 4 Andy Murray of Britain, who won Olympic gold at Wimbledon, is seeded third — higher than his world ranking because of the injury absence of Spain’s Rafael Nadal. Spain’s David Ferrer is seeded fourth. The singles draw for the tournament, which runs from Monday to Sept. 9, will be made today. Federer, who won his 17th Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, has won six titles this year, including his seventh Wimbledon title and three ATP Masters Series titles. The Swiss great won five straight US Open titles from 2004 to 2008.

TENNIS

Referee accused of murder

A prominent professional tennis referee who was preparing to work at the US Open in New York City was arrested on Tuesday on a felony murder warrant accusing her of bludgeoning her elderly husband to death with a coffee mug. Lois Ann Goodman, 70, was taken into custody on a warrant filed a week ago by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charging her with the April 17 slaying of her husband, Alan Goodman, who was 80 years old, prosecutors said. The district attorney’s office said Goodman would remain in custody in New York while awaiting extradition to Los Angeles, where she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors said they would ask for her bail to be set at US$1 million. She is accused of killing her husband by beating him to death with a coffee mug at the couple’s home in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. Goodman is well known in tennis circles and was preparing to serve as a referee at the US Open Tennis Championships tournament, district attorney’s office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

FOOTBALL

Vick’s ribs not broken

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick’s rib injury is a contusion with no broken bones or cartilage damage, the NFL team said on Tuesday. The diagnosis, after MRI and CT scans, was good news for the Eagles, who saw Vick depart a pre-season victory over New England in the first quarter on Monday night after absorbing a hard hit. Vick was taken to the locker room for X-rays, which came back negative. Rookie quarterback Nick Foles will start on Friday’s pre-season contest against the Cleveland Browns if Vick cannot play. In 13 games last season, Vick threw for 3,303 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, but also missed playing time with broken ribs.

SOCCER

Man United sign Buttner

Manchester United have completed the signing of Dutch defender Alexander Buttner from Vitesse Arnhem on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. The 23-year-old, who was part of the preliminary Dutch squad for Euro 2012, has made 119 appearances over the last four years at the Eredivisie club. “Alexander is one of the best young left backs in Europe and we’re delighted to sign him,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club’s official Web site. “He’s someone we’ve been watching for a while now. He gives us some really exciting options in that position.”